Man Charged With Choking, Striking Teens Qualifies to Run for Sunny Isles Beach Commission

George Bardmesser was jailed after allegedly attacking two teenagers at a campaign meet and greet.

August 20, 2024

A Sunny Isles Beach commission candidate was jailed in August 2024 on charges of child abuse for allegedly assaulting two teens at a campaign event. Screenshot via WPLG Local 10/YouTube

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A man who was recently arrested for allegedly assaulting two teenagers at a campaign event has officially qualified to run for local office.

George Bardmesser — a 59-year-old who was jailed earlier this month after allegedly attacking two teenagers at a campaign meet and greet — has qualified to run for Sunny Isles Beach Commission Seat 1, a city spokesperson tells New Times.

Bardmesser is running against Patricia Alvarez, former chair of the city's Environment Sustainability Advisory Committee, Iracilda Lichtinger, and incumbent Jerry Joseph. In order to qualify for the race, the candidates had to meet the city's standard eligibility requirements, including residency within the neighborhoods they seek to represent.

On August 4, Bardmesser was campaigning at El Tropico Cuban Cuisine in Sunny Isles when police say a verbal altercation descended into him attacking the teenagers.

Police say he was sitting at a table in the restaurant when he got into an argument with political opponents sitting at a nearby table. As the argument escalated, surveillance video allegedly captured Bardmesser shoving around kids.

Bardmesser put one teenager in a chokehold and struck another in the face, police say.

"Before there was an issue with the other party coming in and, you know, 'You can't be here, you gotta get out,'" restaurant owner Pedro Vera told WSVN. "Next thing you know, he's grabbing one of the kids by the neck and then punching another one."

Bardmesser was arrested on two counts of child abuse without great bodily harm.

While it remains unclear what instigated the incident, the two teens were reportedly at the event with Sunny Isles Commissioner Fabiola Stuyvesant.

Bardmesser's arraignment is scheduled for September 3.

Bardmesser, a Russian-American attorney and author, promoted the event on his Instagram as a "Republican Coffee Meet Up." He wrote that he was "excited to meet and talk with voters about the future of our city."

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Alex DeLuca is a Miami New Times staff writer who focuses on news, crime, and public safety, education, and cannabis. Prior to joining New Times in June 2020, Alex worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and freelanced for The Appeal. She holds a bachelor's degree from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida.

Contact: Alex DeLuca

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Twitter: @alexldeluca